The Legionnaire’s outbreak in North Carolina has claimed yet another victim taking the toll figures to 4. The outbreak supposedly originating from a hot tub put on view at the state fair in North Carolina has caused sickness to many individuals in addition to the fatalities.
Almost 150 people who were present at the fair fell sick with 133 of them said to be affected by the disease. An additional eight were reported to be sick with Pontiac fever, a less severe form of the affliction. About 94 people had to be rushed to the hospital during the disease occurrence.
The state fair which was held during the period Sept 6th to Sept 15th proved to be the focal point for the spread of the disease. A major portion of the affected victims had walked past the hot tubs put on display at the Davis Event Center during the fair’s second half period.
Testing of samples from the hot tubs yielded a negative for the disease. The state’s health department observed that testing of environmental samples took place after the end of about a couple of weeks from the fair’s closure and hence, would not be effective in evaluating conditions present during the fair.
A positive result was obtained from a sample collected from the ladies’ washroom at the Davis Event Center but the bacteria strain differed genetically from the one obtained from the patients.
Legionnaire is an infection of the lungs and can take serious form. It is caused by inhalation of water droplets contaminated by the bacteria and present in the air, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mode of treatment involved taking antibiotics; however 10% of the affected population could die said CDC further. The disease symptoms could ocmprise muscle aches, coughing, breath shortness, fever and headaches.
